Culture Promotion Office

Project Smile
Project Smile Gallery Project Smile Exibition Gallery Press

Project Smile

Project 'Smile'When, in 1980, I received my first autograph, that of Kalina Jedrusik, I never thought I would have over 1000 of these footprints of human existence – small pieces of art, as I call autographs, because people often draw something near their signature.

Whilst collecting autographs I was also thinking about sharing my joy coming from community and comparing it with the transient keepsake that comes from contact with personalities. The first time I managed to show them was at the Millennial Anniversary of Gdansk, when they were shown at the exhibition entitled “1000 autographs for the Millennial Anniversary”. I observed the people visiting the exhibition and saw their joy and surprise. Generations – grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren all together explaining to each other who was who. Young people did not know older actresses and the older generations had no idea about rock musicians.

After the Gdansk exhibition I began to dream about sharing my passion, about sharing my joy with others. Then I got the idea of collecting autographs joined with the picture of a smile. The first idea was to show "Smile' in children's hospitals, but it soon appeared that smiles drawn by Jordanian Queen, Krzysztof Penderecki or Liza Minelli pleased adults too. What is more important, adding a smile also pleased the people whom I ask to draw them. A smile is possible in any moment, even in the most difficult one. When we look at a child's smile, even if we are in mourning, are ill or in trouble, we smile instinctively.

An autograph itself is calm and quiet like fresh paintings, is “reveals the mortal hand” not only in the poetical dimension but also in the dimension of common, fleeting life. At least it is the visible sign of our having passed by.

Smiles joined with autographs are something to introduce joy into our lives and into hospitals both for children and adults.

When I started collecting smiles I wrote:

A Smile, it is a drop of crystallized Joy
When a child smiles at us we smile, everyone, everywhere!
A child's smile is pure holiness, a gift of life
Not to be sullied by the evil of unhappiness
When giving sick children our warm smiles
We return their own smiles to them
And remind ourselves of the smiles of our own youth!

We received from archdiocese Honiara a smile of archbishop from Solomon islands and his poem:

Smile and the World smiles with you,
Cry and you cry alone.

The exhibition was presented during the Polish Films Festival in Gdynia and in Perpignan, in the Institute of Polish Culture in Budapest and during the Festival of Good Mood in Gdansk. The exhibition was also presented in Chelmno in the Town Hall and smiles were drawn by……
The actress, Ewa Szykulska, drew smiles with children from haematology department of the Medical Academy Hospital in Gdansk and Danuta Stenka drew smiles with children from the Municipal Hospital in Gdynia.

In May the exhibition will be prepared for children on invitation by Polish Embassy in Mexico and in June in the Children's Hospital named after Maria Curie Sklodowska in Romania and in Nowy Tomysl in Poland.

Project Smile aims at encouraging creativity, innovation and adventurous works of art production among the youth. Project Smile is also for any art gallery which offers a platform and window of opportunity to young and upcoming artists to showcase their works - we can work together.

Project Smile will also involve promoting the works of mainly young and upcoming artists. “Smile” is the theme of the project and all works will be designed and crafted cantering around this theme. Smile drawings and impressions could be artistically designed and put on photographs, paper, sportsman’s t-shirts, builders’ tiles, glass, sculpture, plates and clothing.

The main aim of the project is to work for children in hospitals but not only as we all people need an real smile, but also for any art gallery through which young and gifted artists showcase their wealth of talents.

Abakonowicz Magdalena	Andersen Moritz
Abbado Claudia	Anderson Gillian
Abel Inga	Anderson Richard
Abiuso Sonia	Anderson Richard Dean
Abramow-Newerly Jarosław	Andersson Karolina
Abrams Michelle	Andoci Elenoara
Abril y Castelló Santos	Andor Laszlo
Abt-Harrer Brigitte	Andra Oana
Acatrinei Ionut	Andreea Miron
Acatrinei Vladut	Andres Berlato Jorge
Adam Theo	Andrews Chris
Adamczyk Piotr	Androsz Dorota
Adamczyk Wojciech	Andrus Artur
Adamek Witold	Andrzeja Agata
Adamiak Elżbieta	Andrzejaczak Felicjan
Adamik Katarzyna	Andrzejcza Agata
Adamowicz Paweł	Andrzejewska Maria
Adams Bryan	Andrzejewski Andrzej
Adams Gerry	Andrzejewski Piotr
Adams Hunter	Andrzejewski Waldermar
Addeo Joanna	Angel Barabara
Adomavicius Sarunas	Angele Karin
Aebischler Christine	Angioloni Giulia
Afanasjew Andrzej	Angrisani Enrica
Afik Dalia	Ani Mru Mru
Afik Dalia	Ani Mru-Mru Kabaret
Afik Dalia	Antas-Wo¼niewska Danuta
Afik Dalia	Antcza Julia
Afsir Ali Amir	Antczak Jerzy
Agassi Andre	Antkowiak Krzysztof
Agustoni Gilberto	Antoinette Maria
Agutter Jenny	Antoniewicz Mirek
Ahmann Jochem	Antonioni Michelangelo
Aiello Danny	Apanańska Marina
Akin Fatih	Arbico Matilde
Aktor Otto	Arbus Alan
Al Nimer Safez	Arciszewska Zofia
Al-Deen Laith	Arciszewska-Mielewczyk Dorota
Alagna Roberto	Arciuch Tamara
Alas Fatih	Argeirsson Arni Oli
Alatas Sabine	Argerich Marta
Albee Edward	Arkit Tadeusz
Albiez Stefanie	Arlou Uladzimier
Albrecht Gaby	Arlou Uladzimier
Aldag Michael	Armani Giorgio
Aldag Michael	Arms Russell
Aldagg Rolf	Armstrong Valerie
Aldous Robert	Arroyo Francisco
Alendro Ilenia	Asbjornson Susan
Alexander John	Ashkenazy Vladirmi
Alexander Kraft	Asner Ed
Ali Muhammad	Asplund Gertrude
Ali Irtemcelik Mehmet	Assangri Behnas
Alibabki	Assunta Maria
Aliberti Lucia	Aston Peter
Alikadic Harun	Astronio Claudio
Alizade Makan	Atkinson Rowan
Ali Laila	Atlas Natasha
Allende Isabel	Attenborough David
Almodovar Pedro	Augstein Rudolf
Almond Marc	Auguścik Grażyna
Alonzo Natalia	Austin Ford
Altermott Denise	Avedon Richard
Althaus Dieter	Avni Tzi
Althouguia Luis	Avoric Bogdan
Aly Alexander	Awdiejew Alosza
Amanpour Christiane	Awraam Kaliope
Amati Sofia	Awraam Kaliope
Ambrosini Brenno	Azadivar Rana
Amir Mohamad	Azarvizade Zahara Sadat
Amiri Hashem	Aziewicz Taduesz
Amstrong Roger	Aznar Jose M
Anderman Janusz	Aznavour Charles
Anders Thomas	Aznavour Charles